JSB wrote:
> I am looking at a carbon-kevlar hull Impex Montauk.
>
> Anyone have experience with or opinion of carbon-kevlar hull construction?
> Does it have problems? Inpact resistant? Maintain its hull shape?
> Delamination? Anything negative.
>
> How about positive, other than lighter weight?
>
> (I am a solo paddler-loader. The lighter the weight boat the better.)
Interestingly pound for pound standard modulus carbon is less expensive
than Kevlar but the price of finished hulls does not always reflect
this.
I think carbon-kevlar 5 crowfoot weave looks cool. That's something
right there!
It is all really a weight thing, and a shape retension thing.
"Plastic" boats are significantly heavier than composite hulls, and the
plastic ones are also porne to getting distortions from the car rack,
storage in the sun etc. Some plastic boats also deform excessively in
the water to the point of detracting from handling and speed.
If you are not afraid of vinylester or epoxy resin, and gelcoat, and
sandpaper, then you can be pretty rought to a composite boat and still
keep it in good shape and very smooth on the bottom. However,
unfortunately composites have "one time" toughness though. You hit
something and craze the resin, and it the hull goes permanently soft
there. If you want it stiff again you have to patch it, whereas a
"plastic" boat has tremendous repeatable toughness.
But if you want a boat under 30 lbs, you pretty much have to go
composite.
>> Stay informed about: Carbon -Kevlar 
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